Steve Martin has elicited too many laughs to count over the course of his hilarious career, but the comedian has come under fire for a recent remark he made on Twitter about the late Carrie Fisher.

Fisher passed away on Tuesday (December 27), with many Hollywood stars taking to social media to pay their respects with touching tributes. Martin attempted to honour the actress with a tweet of his own, but has since removed it after a massive online backlash that deemed his comments sexist.

The now-deleted tweet read: "When I was a young man, Carrie Fisher was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She turned out to be witty and bright as well."

Many fans expressed outrage at Martin for objectifying Fisher, with New York Magazine going so far as to ask the comedian to "Please be better than Jabba the Hut." The accompanying article goes on to cite a recent interview in which Fisher rejects the "sex symbol" label and urges new Star Wars leading lady Daisy Ridley to "keep fighting against that slave outfit."

Remember Carrie Fisher for her talent, her feminism, her commentary on mental health — not for the way she looked https://t.co/R3eZqy6Ooh